Film developing and fixing mechanism



April 25, 1961 A. RBRAULT FILM DEVELOPING AND FIXING MECHANISM 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 6, 1959 wR m5 R w E m N .H w 8 IL/ 9 2@fihzJZn HTTORNEYS April 25, 1961 BRAULT 2,981,170

FILM DEVELOPING AND FIXING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 6, 1959 PUMP 2Sheets-Sheet 2 FF. 5'. 5 i:

INVENTOR. HNDRE R. BRF! ULT FITToRNEYs United States Patent Ofifice2,981,170 p Patented Apr. 25, 1961 anisms, Inc., Mineola, N.Y., acorporation of New York Filed Jan. 6, 1959, Ser. No. 785,253

13 Claims. (CI. 95-89) The invention relates to a device or mechanismfor developing and fixing a continuous film or film strip. This systemis shown particularly forming a part of a system for photographing,developing and fixing the film and projecting so that any exposures orpictures which are taken may be projected and viewed shortly afterexposure. The photographs may be that of the face of a picture tube suchas a radar screen, an oscilloscope screen and the like where picturesare being taken continuously. The construction or system is applicableto a monobath or one cell device although the construction particularlyshown is a two cell device in which the film is developed in one celland fixed in a second cell. The film moves progressively through thedevice halting at each cell long enough to fix and develop. One or moreduplicate cells may be added to provide one or more separate wash cellsand steps if desired.

It isan object of the invention to construct a developing and fixingmechanism or device for film which is highly efiicient.

A further object is to construct this type of mechanism in whichcontinuous flow of solution is provided and spraying is secured bypressure created in the fluid system by closing or blocking the fluidflow in the outlet line.

Another object is to construct a developing and fixing mechanism forfilm which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

A still further object is to construct a mechanism having parts whichare easily and inexpensively replaced.

Another object is to construct a simple fluid spray cell.

Another object is to construct a device which does not use air pressureor vacuum to transport processing fluid.

A still further object is to construct a device which is vented toatmosphere.

Again any type of film or format area may be processed.

Other objects of the invention will be more apparent from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsillustrating a preferred embodiment thereof in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the device;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the device with a part in section taken on line22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through one of the cells and a solenoid andassociated mechanism taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of one of the cells with the valve screen ordiaphragm removed; and

Fig. 5 is a partial view of a flush arrangement for a cell.

It has been mentioned that the developing and fixing device is shown asit is used with a recording and viewing apparatus which photograph apicture and after developing and fixing may be projected. It hasusefulness in other applications. The device includes a film guide meanshaving a film track 14 along which a film is fed intermittently orconstantly moving to bring successive portions of a film in front of aphotographing aperture 11. A data recording aperture 12 is providedabove the photographic aperture so that a photograph of some pertinentdata may be photographed at the same time and usually a clock isphotographed at the same time so that the actual time of exposure can beread from a photograph of a clock in reduced size. The clock isprojected onto the film in any suitable fashion; that illustrated beingprojected through an aperture 13 onto an inclined mirror 14 and thenonto the film. The film is fed past the developing and fixing station orstations so that the fourth station shown is at a projection aperture 15where light is projected through the film and thrown onto a suitablescreen. If the device is to be a three cell device with a wash cell inthe fourth position then the projection aperture 15 would be located inthe next or fifth position.

Film backing means is provided including a back plate 17 which backs upthe film on the track. The backing means in known manner presses thefilm against the film track during periods when the film is stationaryand is moved away therefrom on film transport so that the sensitiveemulsion does not rub on the track during trans port. To assist this thefilm guide means carries film rails 18 to engage the face of the film attop and bottom edges thereof. The rails are secured to the film track byscrews 19 and the rails are pressed forwardly by springs 20 to removethe emulsion face of the film away from the film track 14 during filmtransport. This provides the general structure for the mechanism ordevice.

The invention is directed particularly to a film treating means fordeveloping and fixing the emulsion of an exposure on a continuous film.There are solutions which develop and fix the emulsion simultaneously inwhich event a single treating unit will suffice. A more common system isone in which the film is developed at one spray chamber and fixed at asecond spray chamber adjacent thereto which provides a two unit device.In some cases it may be desirable to wash the film to doubly assureremoval of fixing solution from the film in which event a three unitfilm treating mechanism may be provided in which the third unit providesa wash or rinse step. Again it may be desirable to flush betweendeveloping and fixing steps in which case a rinse unit may be providedtherebetween for a four unit device.

Each unit has a fluid chamber which preferably is a separate cell member24 having a cavity 25 shown as rectangular and open on one side. Aninlet connection 26 is provided at one end or the bottom thereof whichis shown particularly as connecting with an inlet well 27. An outletconnection 28 is provided at the other end of the cell and particularlyshown as the upper end which may have an outlet well 29 extending fromthe fluid chamber or cavity. The cell member may be molded in one pieceof rubber, plastic or other material which is resistant to the solutionsused and secured to the frame by the screws 19. Secured over the openface orside of the cell member is a perforate flexible membrane or wall30 forming a combined valve and spray membrane. This flexible membranemay be about .020 inch thick andhas slits or punctures 31 through thewall and distributed throughout its face so that when the membrane isflat these slits or punctures are closed but upon fluid flow through theoutlet tube 44 being closed, the membrane distends or bulges which opensthe slits and provides a fluid spray therethrough. The perforations orslits may be cut or sliced without removing material to assure closurewhen the membrane is not distended. This spray projects the fluid ontothe surface of the film F. When fluid flow is restored through the tube44, the flexible membrane is restored to its flat condition which closesthe slits and the spray ceases. The fluid cell is the cell member withthe membrane over the open face.

The cell or cells and tubes are easily removed and replaced if anyshould become faulty or from extensive use.

The perforate flexible membrane or wall separates the fiuid cavity orchamber 25 from a spray chamber 34 provided in the film track 10. Thespray chamber 34 is open at its outer end so that the film F to bedeveloped or fixed is at the outer open end and of course the filmsupported by its backing plate closes this open end when spraying. Theflexible membrane closes the opposite or inner face or end of the spraychamber. The spray chamber has an outlet or outlet tube 35 at the bottomthereof. The fixing or developing solution is sprayed on the film andflows into the outlet 35. It is desirable that it be withdrawn by a pump36 and delivered to a solution container 37 or discarded.

The cell member inlet 26 is connected, such as by an inlet tube 41, witha pump 42 which pump is connected by a tube 43 with the solutioncontainer 37. The outlet connection 28 is connected by a flexible tube44 to the container 37. The container preferably is heated and thetemperature controlled by a thermostat so that the solution is at thattemperature which is best for developing or fixing of the film. Thepumps 36 and 42 may be of any suitable type. It has been found that,that type of pump which has a flexible tube within and lying against itsarcuate casing. A roller means rotates into contact with the flexibletube to flatten and seal the same and propel the fluid through the tubeis an inexpensive pump and provides adequate flow to distend theperforate membrane. The solution constantly circulates through the inletline, the fluid chamber and the outlet line when not spraying and thepump is continuously in operation when processing.

The film track, cells and other mechanism of the device are mounted.upon a frame 47 of suitable bulk so that the temperature may bemaintained within relatively narrow limits. This assures that thesolution is not cooled in its transit in the system. The frame carrieselectric heaters 48 and a thermostat 49 in suitable cavities in theframe to maintain the frame at the desired temperature.

Valve means are provided to close the outlet connection from the fluidchamber to halt fluid flow through the outlet line and the means shownis particularly simple and efifective. It includes a tube clamp orfinger 53 which is pressed down against the flexible outlet tube 44 andcloses the tube against liquid flow or substantial liquid flowtherethrough. With the pump continuing to operate, by-pass flow iscreated through the punctures or slits. The tube clamp is particularlyshown as pivotally mounted on a hinge pin 54. The ends of the hinge pinare mounted in a bracket 52 secured to the frame. The tube clamp ismoved downwardly by suitable valve operating means, that shown being asolenoid 55 mounted in a cavity in the frame and having an armature 56connected with the tube clamp by a screw 57 which extends through a slot60 in the clamp. The tube clamp and flexible tube is, therefore, asimple type of valve means. The tube clamp is moved downwardly by thesolenoid in timed sequence between each film transport period. Anysuitable timer may be used to energize the solenoid in timed sequence,that particularly used being a condenser and resistor controlling thefiring of a space discharge tube. The resistor is adjustable to controlthetime period. A transistor timing circuit may also be used. Thesolenoid is shown energized under the control of a timer by the closingof a switch 58 which may be operated from any source such as the filmtransport mechanism so that the switch for each clamp closes during theperiods when the film is stationary or pressed against the film guide.The length of the cam land determines also the length of time in whichthe clamp or valve is closed and the length of time of the spray. Thevalve or clamp need not be adjacent the cell 24 but may be anywhere inthe outlet line and may be operated remotely.

The fixing cell and associated construction is identical with thatdescribed for developing except that for cornpactness in a two celldevice, the cell has been inverted which brings the upper outlet andlower inlet connections adjacent to each other and is similarlynumbered. It operates identically as described and at the same time suchas when the film is stationary or moving and having developing fluidssprayed on the film by the first cell or treating unit, the fixingsolution is also sprayed on the film at its spray chamber or treatingunit at the same time. The fixing solution has its own container withheaters and thermostat. If a third or wash unit is provided, it may beidentically constructed and it will have its own particular flushsolution or water.

Each cell may be provided with a wash or flush connection as illustratedin Fig. 5. This may be a by-pass system showing a flush inlet 63connected with the inlet such as connection 26 or tube 41 and a flushoutlet 64 connected with the outlet 28 or tube outlet 44 between thetube clamp 53 and the cell 24. The flush outlet is a flexible tube andis closed by a manual tube clamp 65 or a clamp similar to the tubeclamps 53 and may be operated by a solenoid. The flushing of the cell isperformed when film is not being developed or fixed. The flush Water ispumped from any source through the system by a suitable pump 67 shown inthe inlet line in order to flush out each cell of any solution remainingtherein. When flushing the valve or clamp 53 is closed, the valve orclamp 65 opened and the pump 67 operated.

It has been described that the film moves intermittently, however, itmay be a continuously moving film in which event the film backing upmeans may 'be a movable belt. The device is also applicable as anattachment to a camera or as a separate portable unit. Although the cellis particularly shown with a perforate membrane wall secured to the openface of the cell member, it may be a completely molded cell. Althoughspraying of the solution is preferred the flow through the perforatedmembrane may be great enough to produce flooding. The device describedoperates without pressure or at most any pressure developed by closingof the outlet line is preferably very slight.

This invention is presented to fill a need for improvements in a filmdeveloping and fixing mechanism. It is understood that variousmodifications in structure, as Well as changes in mode of operation,assembly, and manner of use, may and often do occur to those skilled inthe art, especially after benefiting from the teachings of an invention.This disclosure illustrates the preferred means of embodying theinvention in useful form.

What is claimed is:

1. A developing and fixing mechanism for film comprising a body, filmguide means carried by the body including a film track; and filmtreating. means of at least one unit, each unit including a spraychamber in the film guide means and open at the film track, an outlet atthe bottom of the spray chamber, the body having a fluid chamber foreach spray chamber in alignment with the spray chamber and having aninlet line and an outlet line, one line being connected on one side andthe other on the opposite side of the fluid chamber, a flexible membraneseparating the fluid chamber and the spray chamber and havingperforations therein which open upon halting of liquid flow in theoutlet line, a valve in the outlet line solely, and valve operatingmeans to open and close the valve in timed sequence.

2. A developing and fixing mechanism as in claim 1 including a pumpconnected in each inlet line.

3. A developing and fixing mechanism as in claim 1 in which the outletline is a flexible tube, the valve is a clamp engaging the tube, and thevalve operating means is connected with the clamp to press the sameagainst the tube to close the same.

4. A developing and fixing mechanism as in claim 3 in which the valveoperating means is a solenoid, and

means to energize the solenoid in timed sequence with the film movement.

5. A developing and fixing mechanism as in claim 1 including a pumpconnected with the spray chamber outlet.

6. A developing and fixing mechanism as in claim 5 including a pumpconnected in the inlet line of each unit.

7. A developing and fixing mechanism as in claim 1 in which the filmtreating means is plural including a fixing fluid chamber and adeveloping fluid chamber spaced apart a distance corresponding with thefilm spacing.

8. A developing and fixing mechanism as in claim 1 in which the fluidchamber is a one piece molded cell.

9. A developing and fixing mechanism as in claim 1 including an inletflush line connected with the inlet line, an outlet flush line connectedwith the outlet line, and a valve in the outlet flush line.

10. A developing and fixing mechanism as in claim 9 including a pump inthe inlet flush line.

11. A developing and fixing mechanism as in claim 1 in which the filmtreating means includes two units, each fluid chamber is a one piecemolded cell with the outlet 6 and inlet at one vertical edge thereof,one fluid chamber being inverted to bring the connections adjacent eachother.

12. A developing and fixing mechanism as in claim 11 in which theoutline line is flexible and extends horizontally rearwardly from thefluid chamber and rests on the top of the frame, and the valve being aclamp engaging the flexible outlet line to squeeze the same closedagainst the frame.

13. A developing and fixing mechanism as in claim 12 in which the valveoperating means is a solenoid mounted in the frame, and a pump connectedin the inlet line.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS818,938 Crane Apr. 24, 1906 1,641,778 Overton Sept. 6, 1927 2,431,041Hassler Nov. 18, 1947 2,582,182 Tuttle et al J an. 8, 1952 2,587,350Maiwald Feb. 26, 1952 2,771,320 Korwin Nov. 20, 1956

